Blue Devils find nice rhythm offensively, answer every one of Bearcats’ challenges

QUINCY — Brad Dance is finding himself in the holiday spirit, and he wants the stockings of all of the Quincy High School girls basketball players to be filled with good vibes.

“I told the girls we have to start finding the positives in things,” the Blue Devils coach said.

Friday night, there was nothing more positive than the way Quincy shared the basketball, knocked down open shots and built an insurmountable lead in a 63-53 victory over Hermann (Mo.) in the 17th Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center.

“Some of the girls tend to get down on themselves,” Dance said. “So I want them looking at the positives. Defensively, it wasn’t our best day. Offensively, I thought we played well enough to win. We kept them from making runs because we hit some open shots.

“Let’s enjoy what we did offensively and work to get better on what we lacked defensively.”

Offensively, the Blue Devils made sure momentum never swung the Bearcats way.

Once in the second quarter and twice in the third quarter, Hermann threatened to jumpstart a run, getting within six or seven points. Each time, Quincy had an immediate answer — the first coming on a 3-pointer from the corner by Myley Longcor and the next two on mid-range jumpers by Khloe Nicholson and Jada Brown.

It ensured Hermann always stayed an arm’s length away on the scoreboard.

“Those are really big moments,” said the 5-foot-11 Brown, who finished with 14 points and six assists. “Those are all about momentum. Even though they made a shot, we have to come down and do our thing and run our offense and get a good shot. I thought we did a nice job of that.”

Longcor played a significant role in that. She made a 3-pointer in every quarter and finished with 14 points to earn game MVP honors as one of four Blue Devils to finish in double figures. 

That came after a sluggish start.

“Once we kind of get it together and work through those rough spots, we pick the pace up,” said Longcor, who also had five assists and three steals. “It doesn’t matter as much what they do because we answer at the other end of the floor.”

The youthful Blue Devils also showed some growth with their ball movement and ability to find the open shooter as they finished with 20 assists on 27 field goals.

“I felt we moved the ball really well on offense,” Brown said. “We looked for the open shot and didn’t rush anything like we have the last couple of games.”

Madelyn Hamby added 12 points and Nicholson added 10, scoring off the dribble as she grows increasingly more comfortable in her role as both a ball-handler and a scorer.

“We want her to attack the rim,” Dance said. “Even if you don’t get all the way there, stop and hit that 10-foot shot. She’s smart enough to find Jada or someone who is wide open.”

The Blue Devils wrap up three games in three days on Saturday when they face Boonville (Mo.) on the final day of the Rumble on the River.

“We have to focus more on what we’re doing so we don’t have silly, unforced turnovers and stay in a good rhythm offensively,” Dance said.